What LSAT score do schools look at?
Asked by: Prof. Moises Cummerata II | Last update: October 23, 2025Score: 4.2/5 (19 votes)
Applicants to these schools commonly have LSAT scores in the mid-160s or even higher. For example, the best law schools in the United States, Yale and Stanford, both have scores in the 170s—174 and 173, respectively. Mid-tier law schools have average scores ranging from 155 to 165.
What LSAT score do I need for law school?
According to U.S. News, law school admissions experts recommend striving for at least a 150; however, for a top-ranking law school, you should aim for a 160 or better. For a Top 10 law school, a 170 or more is desired. Of course, this all depends on which schools you are applying to.
Is a 172 LSAT good enough for Harvard?
172 LSAT is average for Harvard law. So, that's excellent already. Even with a 3.4 GPA, if he can get that LSAT up to, say, 175+ (which then begins the luck zone even for most top scorers), he's looking at probably admission into at least one of Harvard, Yale, or Stanford (the top 3).
Is a 157 a bad LSAT score?
Typical LSAT score ranges include: 120-147 Low. 148-156 Mid. 157-164 High.
What LSAT score will get you a full ride?
What LSAT Score Do I Need for a Full Scholarship? It depends on what type of scholarship you're hoping to be granted. Needs-based scholarships don't require a high LSAT score. However, to be considered for a merit-based scholarship, it's wise to have a score close to 170.
How do law schools look at multiple LSAT scores?
Is a 138 LSAT bad?
“If you have a 2.3 GPA and a 138 LSAT, you — unfortunately — are very unlikely to be able to make it through law school and pass the bar exam after graduation.
How hard is it to get a 159 on the LSAT?
If your score, for example, was 159, your percentile is around 71 percent. An exceptional LSAT score will be somewhere around 175, which is the 99th percentile, according to the Law School Admissions Council (2021—2024)—if you received a 175, you scored better than 99 percent of all test takers.
Will a 180 LSAT get you in anywhere?
Here is a breakdown of what counts as a good enough score for law schools based on the school's rank: Top-five law schools: 170 to 180. Schools like Harvard and Yale, which are the top two, rarely accept applicants with less than 172 on the LSAT. Law schools ranked between 5 and 10: 165 to 170.
What LSAT score do I need for Harvard?
So let's take a look at what it actually takes to have a chance of being admitted to the most prestigious and preeminent law school in the world. As you can see from these numbers, an LSAT score of 170 or higher and a GPA above 3.75 will give you a chance of gaining admission to Harvard Law School.
Should I keep a 148 LSAT?
You can get into law school with a low LSAT score if it is above 144-145. Scores in this range will get you into some lower-ranking schools, although the majority of law schools prefer scores above 150. For expert prep on increasing your score and chances of accetpance, speak with a counselor at Juris Education.
What did Elle Woods get on her LSAT?
Elle Woods, a fictional character portrayed by Reese Witherspoon in the movie Legally Blonde, is known for her remarkable LSAT score—179 out of 180. Portrayed as a stereotypical "valley girl," she embarks on a journey to Harvard Law School in the movie that has since become a cult favorite.
Is 3.7 a bad GPA for law school?
Among the 191 ranked law schools that submitted grade data to U.S. News in an annual survey, the average median GPA of entering law school students in 2021 was 3.55. But at the 20 highest-ranked law schools, the average median GPA is much higher – 3.86.
What was Obama's LSAT score?
The easiest to predict, by far, is Barack Obama's score, mostly because we have some data. Based on admissions records, we can deduce — somewhat reliably — that Barry-O scored between the 94th and 98th percentile on his LSAT. Using today's grading system, that would place him somewhere around a 170.
What is a poor LSAT score?
The LSAT score range is 120 to 180, with the average score being around 150. Above the 75th percentile (155 or higher) in all three sections is considered “good”; while below the 25th percentile (135 or lower) in one or more sections is considered “bad.”
What is the average LSAT score for first time takers?
LSAT scores range from 120 to 180. First-time LSAT test-takers score an average of 151 out of 180. The median LSAT score of first-year JD students is 158.5. Among first-year JD students, 160.9 is considered a high score (75th percentile), and 154.8 is considered a low score (25th percentile)
What is the hardest law school to get into?
- Yale University: 6.9%
- Stanford University: 9.72%
- University of Pennsylvania: 14.6%
- University of Virginia: 15.3%
- Harvard University: 15.6%
- Columbia University: 16.8%
- University of Chicago: 17.5%
- Duke University: 20.2%
What is a good LSAT score without studying?
You can expect to score between 145 and 153 when taking the LSAT without studying. This would generally fall within the 26th to 53rd percentile. Your individual score will vary depending on your familiarity with aptitude, logical, and reading comprehension tests.
Is cheating on the LSAT illegal?
The Law School Admission Council has established procedures for dealing with instances of possible candidate misconduct or irregularities on the LSAT or in the law school admission process. Misconduct or irregularity in the admission process is a serious offense with serious consequences.
How hard is it to get a 178 on the LSAT?
The LSAT is scored on a bell curve, ranging from 120 to 180. On recent tests, the hump of the curve has centered around 153. Percentiles vary slightly between tests, but generally around 25% of test-takers score 160 or higher, 5% score 170 or higher, and 1% score 175 or higher. Only one in 1,000 test-takers scores 180.
How bad is a 155 on the LSAT?
From your raw scores, the test is graded on an LSAT score scale from 120-180. The average LSAT score is about 150. To get into a top 14 law school, you need to score above 166, and to get into a top 50 law school, you need 153 or above.
What is a perfect LSAT score?
The LSAT scale ranges from 120 to 180, with 120 being the lowest possible score and 180 being the highest possible score.
Is 167 a bad LSAT score?
On a typical LSAT, you can still get around 18–19 questions wrong and still end up in the 160s—or around 10–12 wrong and get a 167, which is a 90th percentile score. Even a perfect score of 180 often allows you to miss a question or two.